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FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021
TRENTON
R-T REPUBLICAN-TIMES 75¢
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 68
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Bank Stabilization MOU Gets Signed NCMC Staff Seeks on the west bank of the Thompson River near the Highway 6 bridge. It spells out the agreement in which the IDC will provide $45,000 for engineering costs involved with the project prior to the county signing a contract with Howe Company for design and engineering services. The IDC has provided that money and Ray and A memorandum of understanding with Mrs. Spickard have signed the agreement the Grundy County Industrial Develop- with Howe Company. Also in the agreement, the IDC will ment Corporation was signed during a meeting of the Grundy County Commis- have two representatives initial all documents required for the project, including sion Tuesday at the courthouse. The MOU, signed by Presiding Com- bid acceptance, contracts, invoices for missioner Phillip Ray, Grundy County work performed and materials purchased, Clerk Betty Spickard, IDC director Chris draw submissions and payment vouchers. Hoffman and IDC treasurer Jackie Soptic, The IDC also agrees to hold the county involves the Natural Resource Conserva- harmless from any and all liability arising tion Service Streambank Stabilization out of the administration of the streamproject that is designed to stabilize an area bank stabilization project, including cost
IDC Provides $45,000 For Engineering Costs Involved With Project
overruns. In other business on Tuesday, the commission heard a report from Carlee Quinn of University Extension, who said the extension office lease with North Central Missouri College has not been renewed and the office will be moving to the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission offices in June. The commission also agreed to change the signers on the Fred Fitch Fund investments from the three commissioners to two commissioners and the county treasurer. The county administers the charitable fund. On Tuesday the commission will meet with items on the agenda incuding a 9:30 a.m. exit interview with auditors and an 11 a.m. meeting with the Howe Company at the SW 80th Ave. bridge for semifinal inspection.
Current Base Salaries Fall Below Local High Schools
Concrete decking was poured Monday at the 17th Street Bridge, where Boone Construction is in the process of replacing the structure. Trenton City Administrator Ron Urton said separate concrete pours will be done for walls and the barriers to keep vehicles from the pedestrian area. The project is still on track to be finished early this summer.
Faculty at North Central Missouri College are seeking a pay increase, pointing out to trustees that their salaries fall below that of local K-12 school districts. Instructors Maryellen Harman and Dr. Lindsay Oram made a presentation to trustees during the board’s regular monthly meeting held Tuesday. The proposal from faculty includes the top priority of continuing to pay 100 percent of the employee health insurance premium (which board members later voted to do) with the second priority being an increase of $1,000 to the base salary. According to information provided to trustees, the current non-nursing faculty base salary of $34,957 for a master’s degree is less than both the Trenton R-9 and Chillicothe R-2 K-12 districts. Trenton’s base pay for the 2021-22 school year for a teacher with a master’s degree will be $37,100, while Chillicothe’s base is $37,076 for the current school year. When looking at community colleges similar in size, NCMC falls behind State Fair in Sedalia, which has a base of $38,488.73. Also requested in the proposal was a “step down” on the salary schedule, which
an agreement between the city and Trenton Municipal Utilities for the relocation of over-
BRIEFS
Council Approves Skid Steer Purchase Discussion Held For Memorial Bench Placement The Trenton City Council met Monday at city hall, approving the purchase of a skid steer and discussing the placement of a memorial bench in the downtown area. Council members approved the purchase of a Case IH skid steer for the street department at a total cost of $26,000. The original cost was $48,500, but with a $22,500 trade-in allowance, the price fell to $26,000. The council approved the additional purchase of a cold miller at a cost of $18,000, bringing the total cost of the items, which will be purchased from Gallatin Truck and Tractor, to $44,000. A total of $60,000 had been budgeted. The council also approved
Pay Raise At Meeting
R-T Photo/Wendell Lenhart
head powerlines to underground and relocating sewer service lines. The work is part
of the “Pave Taxilanes and Grade T-Hangar Site” project [See CITY, Page 5]
they said is typically assumed to happen unless there are significant financial barriers. Dr. Oram said that when she was hired five years ago she was handed a salary schedule that showed where she should be at this point, however, because of two years where there was no movement, she is only where she should have been after three years. There’s no way to make that up, she said. A fourth request was an increase in adjunct/overload pay. The current rate is $550 per credit hour and faculty requested a $25 increase per credit hour last year, which they did not receive. Recalling what students at the recent scholarship recognition event said about the faculty, Dr. Oram said she believes it’s the faculty that makes NCMC successful, an idea that seemed to resonate with the board and NCMC President Dr. Lenny Klaver. “I think they’ve made a convincing argument,” said Dr. Klaver. “Our faculty is as good as any anywhere - maybe better.” He also agreed with Ms. Harman that it is more advantageous to the college to retain good faculty than to train new faculty. The board will consider the proposal at the May board meeting, with the new budget to be approved in June. Trustees selected United Healthcare as its 2021-22 health insurance carrier, with the board continuing to pay 100 percent of the premium [See NCMC, Page 5]
Kiss Cups Deadline
Monday, May 3, will be the final day to order a kiss cup for the Trenton High School Key Club’s “Kiss the Seniors Goodbye” project. For a cost of $6, a 16-ounce commemorative cup filled with Hershey kisses and best wishes for a successful future will be delivered by Key Club members to a THS senior on Thursday, May 6. To place an order, persons may contact Key Club sponsor, Kara Helmandollar, at 359-5966 or 635-0596. Order forms can also be found on the Trenton R-9 school website at trentonr9.k12.mo.us, going to the High School site and clicking on the Kiss the Seniors Goodbye story. Orders will be electronically transmitted and billed via PayPal with payments accepted by paypal, credit or debit card.
R-5 Baccalaureate On Sunday
R-T Photo/Seth Herrold
“It’s Saturday” is the theme of the Pleasant View R-6 Music Department’s spring program, presented in two productions, one on Thursday afternoon and the other tonight (Friday, April 30). The program, which also included the school band, explored the options for everyone’s favorite day and was under the direction of Shani Kinney.
Baccalaureate services for the 2021 graduating class at Grundy R-5 High School will be held Sunday evening, May 2. The service will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Galt Baptist Church. Commencement exercises are scheduled for 2 p.m., on Saturday, May 15 at the high school.
New Owner Is Taking Action On Nuisance Property Board Frustrated By Number Of Cases Held Up In Court
While one property that has been on the agenda for the Trenton Building and Nuisance Board for the past
several months looks to be getting some attention from a new owner, members of that board continue to express their concern that too little can be done to force other property owners to take action to get properties cleaned up. During a meeting of the board Monday evening, the new owner of 401 Monroe St. said he has plans to have the house torn down. Don Dock-
ray, who lives next door to the property, said he has purchased the house, which had significant damage from a fire. He said he is in the process of contacting a firm to demolish the structure and plans to do some work to the grounds and possibly construct a garage on it. Board members left the property on the “Declaration of Nuisance” list as they also did with the old freight house property owned
by Shane Michaels. Michaels was given another 30 days to make progress on that property. The board moved 604 Linn St., owned by Duane Lahn, to “Public Hearing” as Code Enforcement Officer Wes Barone said there is still a hole in the foundation of that structure. Property at 1000 Rural St., will stay on the “Findings of Fact” list for
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BACK WHERE THEY BELONG...
Friday night will be clear with an overnight low of 35. That chill gives way to high temperatures in the high 70’s and low 80’s over the weekend. There is a chance of rain on Sunday into Monday. The high in Trenton on Monday was 85 with Tuesday reaching 83. Wednesday’s high was 71 with a low of 59. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station at the Barton Farm Campus was 69 with a low of 59.
After suffering just the second dual loss of the season last week, Trenton’s tennis team bounced back, pushing its record to 7-2 overall with an 8-1 victory over Kirksville on Monday. SPORTS, PAGE 2
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WARM WEEKEND
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another 30 days as the owner, Smartbeltz LLC, is continuing to make small improvements but is finding it difficult to find someone to work on the property. In other business, board members learned that there are plans to demolish property at 2112 Oak St, and discussed the condition of 140 E. Fifth St., noting that the owner may need [See PROPERTY, Page 5]
WHAT’S INSIDE
SPORTS ..........................PAGE 2 AGRICULTURE ...............PAGE 3 NASCAR ......................PAGE 3 OP/ED ...........................PAGE 4 CALENDAR .....................PAGE 5 COMICS ..........................PAGE 6 CROSSWORDS ................PAGE 7 CLASSIFIEDS..................PAGE 8 AREA ............................PAGE 10